Hey Deano the homeland is in danger of gettin banned left right and centre. All cos of us danglers. I sense trouble brewin in the city of squalls (Auckland) so you mite see my fat, hairy, wrinkly ass over in the thermal city (Perth) sooner (next 2 years) as opposed to later (next 10 years).
Back in my polebitchin days before i flew a large paddlin pool i noticed a number of things of difference between windsurfing and kitesurfing.
1) Squalls are your friend. A 40 knot blast is sexy and that cold rain gives you an invigorating blast of youth... and the fact that i had one of Auckland's famous slimy mud oyster beaches to myself in that gorgeous horizontial rain that not even sex with a hippo could match.
2) Quantity comes before quality. In kitesurfing steady winds are much sort after but in windsurfing i love my gusts and poleboarding hotspots like Maui and NZ are very gusty and these places also have a rep for smashin up many a dangler. NZ as you know is renowned for it's brutal nasty weather and an ample supply of galeforce winds that we end up becoming psychos and maniacs that end up chewin barbwire for a livin. Hey that's why we shag sheep... the girls are butt ugly.
BUT i'm now a kiteboarder and have been kiteboardin for about 4 years now. Kiteboardin in NZ is a joke (most places it's too windy) with Auckland being one of the few places in the country where the conditions are good for kiting.
THe insane house prices in Auckland at the mo are stopping me from coming over to Perth for a holiday (i can't afford it if i buy a house) but if i end up flatting due to it being just too damn expensive here AND these bans eventuate (the spots that they are looking to ban are uncrowded beaches that get pretty good wind... i don't see the logic in that somehow)...... then i could very well end up flatting and living... IN PERTH.
Remember this same city stopped an entire speedway from running its reces due to about 30 stuck up snobs saying it was too niosy.... who was there first?? The speedway.
Sunshine, girls, cold beer, hot weather, warm clear water doesn't exactly made me happy.. i can do without that stuff.
But 25-30 knot summer breezes?? sounds good to me cos the winds in Auckland are incredably gusty, infact i don't think you kiters would be able to handle our conditions (yes i know this a poleboardin forum!!).
For sheer windspeed NZ is damn bloody good for poleboardin (Wellington IS the capitial) but it lacks the beach lifestyle of OZ and Perth. THe places in NZ that do have the beach lifestyle like Coromandel and the Mount have no wind.
For kiteboardin apart from the obvious fact that NZ has the most coastline per capita of any county in the world and the fact that there is often ****LOADS of wind. Things like consistancy, temperature (assuming that warmer is better) etc I bet OZ would win hands down.
That's my 5 year rant. I'm goin to sleep now. a 25 knot SW is on the cards tomorrow.. A typicially windy kickass winter is just round the corner so i'll see you bitches later.
